C'mon! There's no thread for THEM yet?
Well now, I suppose I'll start it up, then!
I only discovered this group about 2 years ago. And I really couldn't believe that I actually found myself starting to like music from "way back then", from, like, my parent's generation. I had never asked them about this band before, or seen any Doors LPs on their collections. But then again, my old man's favorite rock group is the Stones, and I really can't stand them!
Previously, I had contributed to the "Boxed Sets" portion of NitCentral's "Music" section. And I wrote my opinion of the "Complete Studio Recordings", but actually, it was really a plug for the import CD "Other Voices/Full Circle" two-albums-on-one-CD. Which, I think, is extremely underrated, as well as underappreciated, as far it not really being considered "official" Doors material. Well, it is!
Anyway, about this group. Releasing six albums of extremely excellent material from 1965-1971, and after Jim Morrison's untimely demise in Paris, the two aforementioned albums being released in the early '70's. Organist/keyboardist Ray Manzarek did most of the lead vocals, and guitarist Robbie Krieger sang lead on a few, too. As for drummer/percussionist John Densmore, I don't believe he ever sang any vocals on any post-Morrison recordings.
But the bottom line is: I like almost every song they did, otherwise, why would I have started a thread for them on this board? Wouldn't make too much sense, huh?
They are truly one of my favorite American rock groups, definetly in the Top 5! Hey, I'm listening to "Light My Fire" as I write this!!
My other favorites: (not in chronological order)
"Break On Through (To The Other Side)"
"20th Century Fox"
"Soul Kitchen"
"Love Me Two Times"
"My Eyes Have Seen You"
"Hello, I Love You"
"Not To Touch The Earth"
"Touch Me"
"Roadhouse Blues"
"You Make Me Real"
"Peace Frog"
"L.A. Woman"
"Riders On The Storm"
"The Wasp (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)"
"The End"
"The Unknown Soldier"
"Five To One"
"You're Lost Little Girl"
"We Could Be So Good Together"
"The Soft Parade"
"When The Music's Over"
Those were all with Jim. Now, for the ones without Jim, and with Ray, Robbie, and John!
"Variety Is The Spice Of Life" (Robbie)
"Tightrope Ride" (my favorite one sung by Ray)
"Wandering Musician"
"Hang On To Your Life"
"Get Up And Dance"
"Hardwood Floor"
"Good Rockin'"
"It Slipped My Mind" (Robbie again)
"The Peking King & the New York Queen"
What does everyone (well, everyone who reads this, anyway) think of the Oliver Stone Movie? I saw a few months ago, and it was entertaining, for the most part, with a really great soundtrack, natch!
But then I found out that Ray absolutely HATED it, calling it "heinous" and also saying that it was totally inaccurate and a "horrible account of the history of the band".
There's that. Now, there's this: "The Doors of the 21st Century"! Anybody here actually catch them live, whereever they're been? Ray, Robbie and Ian Astbury, formerly of the Cult, singing lead, and even Stewart Copeland on drums, formed the New Millenium version of the group. But lawsuits from numerous sides-John Densmore for one, and even the parents of Pamela Courson (Jim's longtime steady companion)are preventing the "group" from recording in the studio and releasing new material.
How about that? I think I'd actually like to hear some "21st Century" Doors! What do you all think?
Well, I'm a bit worn out from all this typing, so I'll open up this board to others that may want to contribute! Anyone at all? I know that the Doors have been discussed on other boards here.
"I am the Lizard King. I can do anything!"
Right on, Jim. Anything! Well, except live past the age of 27. But other than that, the sky's the limit, huh?
Later now.
I heard a radio interview with Ray Manzarek in 1991, just before the release of The Doors movie. He stated that since Oliver Stone was in Vietnam during the band's heyday, how could he have known what was going on back in the states.
Wasn't "The Doors" actually released in 1967? "Light My Fire" was a huge hit in the summer of '67. Also, don't you hear the words "stronger than dirt" at the very end of "Touch Me?"
The current Rolling Stone has listed its choices for the "Fifty Moments That Changed Rock & Roll History". Among them is this: The Doors At the Whisky A Go-Go.
Meanwhile, for those of you who think you have, or have seen all of the Doors albums, guess again. Rhino Handmade label has these limited edition CDs for sale: Rhino Handmade, the Doors.
Just for the record, I'm not a big Doors fan. They're okay. I have the double disc The Best of the Doors. But I don't play it that often. My favorite Doors tunes are "The End" and "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)".
np - Discovery - Electric Light Orchestra (It's an all Seventies weekend for me, boys and girls. What can I say?)
"Music is a world within itself and a language we all understand."
To each their own, right, Benn?
Hey, thanks for posting that link, I read it, it's cool!
Man, Oliver didn't get what happened right at ALL, did he?! Thanks, Adam, for pointing out what Ray said about what was REALLY happening!
BTW, with that last line in my last post, just to be clear, I was not being disrespectful to Jim's memory. Just a little sarcastic, maybe, but not anything mean-spirited.
And yes, that was "Stronger than dirt!" at the end of "Touch Me"! I had to go to a lyric site to find that out. What does it mean?.....
Didn't Tide or some other laundry detergent use that as their slogan back then?
And yeah, it's definitely a matter of "To each his own." But that's cool.
BTW, if you haven't read it, I stronly recommend David Sugarman's No One Here Gets Out Alive. It's an excellent bio of Morrison.
"Music is a world within itself and a language we all understand."
I have that, and a few other Doors/Jim Morrison books.
Also, the ones by Ray and John! (Haven't read all the way through those yet, though.)
Blender magazine hates The Doors AND Jim Morrison. They've called him a "pretentious windbag" and made the Doors one of the "50 Worst Bands Of All Time", Jim one of the "50 Craziest Pop Stars Ever", and "The End" one of the "50 Worst Songs Of All Time". Sheesh!
Well, we all know where they can stick it, right? I still like 'em! So there!
What's that tune they're playing for the current commercial for ESPN's X-games? It sounds like "Peace Frog"!
About Blender, why does anyone trust them for artistic critisism? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it made by the publishers of HUSTLER?
On a happier note: there's a CD reissue of Other Voices/Full Circle? Where?
It's a Russian import CD, Blitz, and it can be obtained relatively easily on-where else?-eBay!
As for Blender being published by Larry Flynt Publications, I don't believe that's quite correct. I checked, and it's published by Dennis Publications, and I'm not sure who owns that.
Also, I never said that I TRUSTED them when it came to their critisism of various musical acts and their albums. I just enjoy reading it for the cool features on some of my favorite musicians and the reviews of CD's, from time to time.
And I'm not neccesarily gonna take it SERIOUSLY or PERSONALLY that they bash Jim Morrison and the Doors every chance they get. It's their right! They're entitled! After all it was Larry Flynt who said at some point, "Opinions are like (bleep)-holes, everybody's got one!" Well said!
I make up my own mind if I like something, or believe what somebody else has said about something I like! Well, YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!
Bye for now. The Doors Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello again. I'm back, and this time, I would like to contribute two things: My definitive favorite Doors track list, and some interesting information about Jim that has been in my local newspaper!
First, the track list (obviously NOT in chronological order):
"Break On Through (To The Other Side)"
"Light My Fire"
"Back Door Man"
"20th Century Fox"
"Soul Kitchen"
"People Are Strange"
"Strange Days"
"Love Me Two Times"
"My Eyes Have Seen You"
"Hello, I Love You"
"Not To Touch The Earth"
"Touch Me"
"Roadhouse Blues"
"Love Her Madly"
"The Changeling"
"You Make Me Real"
"Peace Frog"
"L.A. Woman"
"Riders On The Storm"
"The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)"
"The End"
"I Looked At You"
"Take It As It Comes"
"The Unknown Soldier"
"Moonlight Drive"
"Five To One"
"Wintertime Love"
"Spanish Caravan"
"You're Lost Little Girl"
"We Could Be So Good Together"
"Shamen's Blues"
"The Soft Parade"
"Wishful Sinful"
"I Can't See Your Face In My Mind"
"Unhappy Girl"
"Easy Ride"
"Runnin' Blue"
"Wild Child"
"When The Music's Over"
And now for the ones Ray, Robbie, and John recorded without Jim, that were not particularly well-received. I like these ones, though!
"In The Eye Of The Sun"
"Variety Is The Spice Of Life"
"Ships W/ Sails"
"Tightrope Ride"
"I'm Horny, I'm Stoned"
"Wandering Musician"
"Hang On To Your Life"
"Get Up And Dance"
"4 Billion Souls"
"Hardwood Floor"
"Good Rockin'"
"The Piano Bird"
"It Slipped My Mind"
And now for the info about Jim that I read in my paper. It turns out that when the future Lizard King was a student at Florida State University in the early '60's, he made a promotional film for the school that made a pitch for state universities to get more public money.
Interesting, huh? The journalist for the AP wrote: "Jim Morrison. King of 1960's counterculture or pitch man? Now we know the answer-both."
And of course, he would later travel to the West Coast, attend UCLA Film School, meet Ray Manzarek.....and the rest of history!
Well, that's about it from me about the Doors for now. I still love hearing their awesome, excellent songs whenever they play them on my local classic rock radio station, or I'll just pop in my customized Doors CD's!
And yes, the staff of that yellow rag Blender still hate the ever-lovin' bejeezus outta the Doors, and continue to bash them every chance they get. Here's a really digusting and totally unneccesary example: A few months ago, they were reviewing the recent biography "Life, Death, Legend" and they spoke of a section of the book in which "Janis Joplin meets Jim Morrison-And finds out he's a very ugly drunk!"
Well, that's a little HARSH, don't you think?! It's not as if Janis was the most beautiful woman in the world, and it SURE as H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks wasn't as if she never touched a drop of the ol' sauce herself! For cryin' out loud, she drank like a friggin' fish, shot smack, and died of a freakin' stinkin' overdose! Sheesh!!!!
Anyway, that REALLY is it from me for now about this whole thing. Later now!
Whoops. That should of course, be:
"...and the rest IS history!"
No big whoop, I just thought I would clarify!
I just thought I would add here that I re-did one of my customized Doors CD's and added the tracks "Waiting For the Sun", and "Queen Of The Highway". They sound really cool!
Also, what do you all think of the already out-of-print 6-CD, 6-DVD box set "Perception"? I couldn't afford it, but I don't really need it, anyway. I have all the Doors music in my collection that I need!
And yes, that was "Stronger than dirt!" at the end of "Touch Me"! I had to go to a lyric site to find that out. What does it mean?.....
Didn't Tide or some other laundry detergent use that as their slogan back then?
Actually, it was Ajax laundry detergent that used "Stronger Than Dirt" as their slogan. More here.
Slightly off-topic, but I no longer read or buy Blender magazine. About 8 years ago, I bought my first issue, and then I subscribed. Since then, they have declined considerably in quality, and the magazine itself is a lot thinner than it used to be. Plus, they don't write about the kind of music I like anymore!
Anyway, I still love the Doors's music, and I hate the Oliver Stone movie. And that's that!
Well, the new biopic "When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors" is out on DVD, and it's narrated by none other than Johnny Depp.
I will be buying this one very soon! After I do, I will post my review!